VIENTIANE, December 11. /TASS/. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu believes that Moscow and Vientiane can expand military and military-technical cooperation.
Summing up the results of talks with Laotian leaders, Shoigu told reporters that the parties "did not overlook military and military-technical cooperation." "There’s also a significant amount of work to be done here, given that during Soviet times, all armed forces [of Laos] were primarily armed with Soviet-made weapons," the Russian Security Council Secretary said.
He added that the interdepartmental Russian delegation "inspected a number of enterprises that are being created, or have already been created, for the maintenance and repair of these weapons, which were supplied to Laos at various times."
Shoigu also noted that the delegation accompanying him included representatives from law enforcement agencies, Rosatom, the Bank of Russia, and the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation.
According to the Russian Security Council press service, Shoigu’s program included talks with Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security Vilay Lakhamfong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Chansamone Chanyalath. On Friday, he is expected to meet with President Thongloun Sisoulith.